Columns

As the summer solstice passes by and blazing temperatures roll in, the image of lounging by a pool or lake with a cold alcoholic beverage in hand crosses my mind frequently. In a life without hypoparathyroidism, I suspect that’s exactly what I’d be doing today, as we reach 90…

“Every silver lining’s got a touch of grey/ I will get by/ … I will survive.” — “Touch of Grey,” the Grateful Dead Some songs resonate with me, regardless of the genre. I enjoy all music, from Top 40 to classic rock, rap, and the Grateful Dead. The lyrics are…

Having a chronic illness feels a little like being a hostage negotiator. It’s my functionality and I trapped behind an unpredictable chronic illness that’s got a chip on its shoulder and is out for blood. The alarm has been tripped and the medics are outside, but it doesn’t change the…

“We can’t control the storms that come our way, but we can control how we navigate through them.” — Fernanda Melchor’s novel “Hurricane Season” It’s almost summer here in the Sunshine State of Florida! It’s hot, humid, and rains daily. Floridians know to bring an umbrella, SPF, and a water…

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” — George MacDonald Building trust takes years, yet it can shatter in moments. This fragility can be a heavy burden. As Brian Keigley, president of Bionews (the publisher of this site), recently wrote on LinkedIn, “Trust isn’t a…

When I was a teenager, adults used to tell me time sped up every year. I scoffed in that way kids do when they don’t believe an adult, but I swear these days that time is nonsensical. This week marks my two-year anniversary on Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide), the first and only…

“Knowledge is the light of the mind.” — University of Delaware’s motto May 27, 1995, was a significant day in my life. It was the day I graduated from the University of Delaware, a momentous occasion held at the school’s football stadium in Newark. The hot and sunny Memorial Day…

I was having an incredible week! I’d pushed my body to the limit to meet my book deadline and had finished on time. I took part in a rare career opportunity and went to sleep on Tuesday night celebrating. Wednesday morning, I had to make a call about the…

‘To be an activist is to speak. To be an advocate is to listen. Society can’t move forward without both.” —  activist Eva Maria Lewis When I was diagnosed with the rare endocrine disorder hypoparathyroidism in 1998, I felt like I was the only person in the world…

When I walk into the small, LGBTQ-owned salon that has seen my best and worst hypoparathyroidism days, I’m always relieved that I can just be me. Not only is it a place of safety and comfort for me as a queer woman, but also as a person with a…